The United Nations said no inspections of ships were carried out on Sunday and Monday under the agreement on grain exports from Ukraine through the Black Sea, which Moscow threatened to cancel on May 18 due to obstacles to its own grain and fertilizer exports, the Russian service of the B BBC.

Ukraine submits to the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul on a daily basis a list of ships that must receive permission to pass through the sea corridor.

In recent days, the SCC has not issued new permits.

According to Ukrainian authorities, a total of 62 ships are waiting to enter Ukrainian ports.

Russia gains nothing from the Black Sea grain deal

After receiving permission, the vessels are inspected by SCC officials near Turkey, then sent to Ukrainian ports along the maritime humanitarian corridor, where they pick up the cargo and return to Turkish territorial waters for a final inspection, Reuters reminds.

"There are currently 26 ships in Turkish waters loaded with 1,157,974 metric tons of grain and food," the UN said on Monday.

The United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal on Black Sea grain exports to help address a global food crisis that has been exacerbated by Moscow's war in Ukraine.

At the same time, Russia accepted a three-year agreement in which the UN agreed to help try to remove all obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports.

Although these Russian exports are not subject to Western sanctions imposed after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance are a barrier to supplies.

Russia has said it will not extend the pact beyond May 18 unless a list of demands is met to remove those obstacles.

U.N. Trade Representative Rebecca Greenspan met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin in Moscow on Friday to discuss U.N. efforts to "facilitate the unimpeded export of Russian food and fertilizers, including ammonia," Hack said.

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